Construction Group Webinars Offer Green Training

Jan 08, 2009

Green building is gaining in popularity nationwide, and regionally, New England states are leading the way. To make sure New England maintains its national lead, an area construction association is educating its contractors on sustainable technology, according to a Jan. 5 press release.

The 2008 study, “State-Level Office Building Energy Efficiency Rankings,” by Jerry Jackson, Ph.D., of Texas A&M University, shows that the majority of states with the most energy efficient office buildings are located in New England. In descending order, the top 10 are Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Nevada, New York, California, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Jersey.

“The New England area has taken a proactive stance in the green building movement,” said Leo A. Reed, executive vice president of the New England Mechanical Contractors Association (NEMCA). “To help meet the growing need for green building in New England, NEMCA is providing member mechanical contractors with the sustainable technology guidance they need to advance the green building movement. The success of a green building relies on the performance of its mechanical systems, so it is important for our member contractors to master the requirements of building green.”

With a progressive commitment to education, NEMCA is providing free green building Webinars for contractor members at www.nemca.org. The association uses this medium to keep members updated on green design, green conservation, and green building opportunities.

The first Webinar, “LEED and Sustainable Design,” hosted by Lincoln Pearce, explains the different types of design considerations that should be taken into account when building green. This presentation educates mechanical contractors on how the LEED rating system work, and explains the different ways to reduce environmental impact, improve indoor air quality, and conserve energy, water, and resources.

The second Webinar, “Going Green: Valuable Opportunities for Mechanical Contractors,” hosted by Jeff Grossberg, explains why it is important to build new buildings or renovate old buildings to a green standard. Grossberg explains that with the threat of global warming and our over-usage of building energy consumption, there is no choice but to go green. Grossberg also discusses the benefits of building green, including reduced energy usage and lower operating costs.